<blockquote>If MySQL itself could present an OData interface, then layered services written in any language could automatically provide APIs in a standard way. Here's a description of how that might work:<blockquote>If we provide access to existing databases as though they were in hypertext form, the system will get off the ground quicker … What is required is a gateway program which will map an existing structure onto the hypertext model, and allow limited (perhaps read-only) access to it.</blockquote>If you know your web history that may sound familiar. It's from Tim Berners-Lee's <a href="http://www.w3.org/History/1989/proposal.html">1989 proposal</a> for the World Wide Web.</blockquote>